Saudi Arabia held a state funeral for crown prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Tuesday.
The Associated Press reports that hundreds of men filled a mosque in Riyadh.
Prince Sultan, who was also defense minister, died Saturday in New York of an unspecified illness. He was 80.
GlobalPost reports that the crown prince had overseen the modernization of Saudi Arabia’s armed forces and presided over the purchase of billions of dollars in advanced weaponry.
More from GlobalPost in Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's crown prince dies
Interior Minister Prince Nayef is expected to be named the next heir, Reuters reports. The move is intended to promote economic stability in Saudi Arabia.
"In the political system this is an important event, but the system is designed to ensure continuity," Jarmo Kotilaine, Chief Economist at National Commercial Bank in Jeddah, told Reuters. "Economic policy is put in place over a much longer period and is not likely to change at all."
Saudi King Abdullah, who is 87 and has had three operations in a year to treat back problems, attended the funeral wearing a surgical mask, AP states.
At The World, we believe strongly that human-centered journalism is at the heart of an informed public and a strong democracy. We see democracy and journalism as two sides of the same coin. If you care about one, it is imperative to care about the other.
Every day, our nonprofit newsroom seeks to inform and empower listeners and hold the powerful accountable. Neither would be possible without the support of listeners like you. If you believe in our work, will you give today? We need your help now more than ever!